Lark of the Clans... Celtic with a twist!

News

She's my festival alter ego who loves to interact with the younger folks. I've written lots of music for her to share so keep a watch out for a NEW ALBUM called "Wee Folk Stomp" and an ultra cool lyrics book done as a coloring book! I'll be going into the studio soon to record it and the book is in process, too!

Back to Posie...

She is bright, loud and loves to instigate things like parades and spontaneous fun! She also love to make Tutus... you know... those pretty dress things that ballerinas wear? She makes them in her garden so you can find lots of hidden flowers in her tutus! AND now she has her very own Facebook page! Give her a Like at https://www.facebook.com/PixieSong/" target="_blank">http://https://www.facebook.com/PixieSong/ Watch for her performing and making mischief at festivals this summer!

First stop for Posie is the Beltaine Celebration at Our Haven in French Lick, Indiana. Check the calendar - that will be on April 26-29, 2018! She is bringing two beautiful Flower Tutus for the Auction that will be held on Saturday! Come on out and place your bid!

What an honor! I’m already scheduled to play at the Awards Ceremony in San Francisco in August and I really would like to that that crystal star home with me! But I can only win if YOU vote for me!

Your $5 Voting Membership lets you select your favorites for the 2018 Awards and helps the IPMA support independent musicians around the world! Even better, join as an Associate Member and get some great benefits like free admission to events! So please vote for me and for all your favorite musicians!

I've started writing a newsletter for you and the other folk that have expresssed an interest in me and what's happening with my music.

The issues will all be available from the menu here if you click on MORE. I'll keep an archive of all the issues, just in case you want to look backwards! If you would like to have me include you in my email list when I first send them out, you can email me and let me know where you'd like it sent!

Wow! I am so excited and very deeply proud and honored about this! A huge amount of thanks to Brian Henke who produced the album and Jay Bentoff who was the most excellent engineer!!!

I have received a nomination as Best Female Vocalist of 2017 the International Pagan Music Association!! I've got the awards ceremony on my calendar for June 8 and will be playing at the 3 Gates Festival right after in West Plains, MO! Thank you!!!!

Just Plain Folks (JPF) is the largest grassroots music organization in the world. With over 50,000 members in over 160 countries worldwide. My new album "Elf King's Horn" has been nominated for Best Celtic Instrumental Album and my song "Celtica" is nominated as Best Celtic Instrumental!!!

This was a banner night for me! I was invited to accompany Brian Henke AND the inimitable Michael Kelsey during the Woodchoppers Ball! So many of my friends play at this incredible benefit for the homeless in Ohio. I was so proud to be part of this - as you can see from my face. Pat Henke shot this picture perfectly! Thank you Pat!

My friends, I just received this beautifully written review of my new album from Nan Bovington writing for Autoharp Quarterly! It should be included in the Spring 2016 issue... so be sure and grab a copy! Here is what Nan sent me:

"Ginger Ackley is an active songwriter, musician, recording artist and performer. She has released several CD's and also maintains an impressive website, where I was able to read about her life (from Texas to Ireland, and many points between!) and see and hear selections from Elf King's Horn, her latest album - as well as songs from her previously released material.

I'd have sworn her Elf King songs were ancient melodies and mythical ideas from days bygone...but this is original material, convincingly written 'in the old style', according to the Scotsman, Andy Stewart, of "Silly Wizard". The mysterious and magical themes Ginger employs, are introduced by sub messages located by the song titles.....such as: 'a daughter of the Celtic sea god longs for her father...' (Manannan Mac Lir); 'If a Fairy girl fell in love with a human boy...' (Moonlady); 'If you should find a Faery Ring...' (Faery Ring); 'The mist moved over the pond and surrounded me...' (Mist Wraith).

On the opening cut, "Fairy Tale", Ginger plays a plaintive and haunting melody on penny whistle, accompanied by Brian Henke on guitar. It is a very effective collaboration, though at first I was surprised not to hear any remarkable autoharp soloing .However, her penny whistle playing is stunning - accurate, tuneful---no tweedling!--and it accompanies the other instrumentals and vocals very well, whatever the song or material. About the modest, by comparison, use of autoharp...in fact, isn't part of what we 'in the community' of 'harpers hope to see happening in small group or string band music--the inclusion of the autoharp as an expected musical partner? Making music? Got guitar? Got ___________ (whistle, flute, banjo, vocal, mandolin)? Got autoharp? It doesn't have to steal the show----just to be an expected and respected part of it.

Ginger's voice is clear and lyrical - very Celtic sounding. Who would have recognized her as a native Texan? Her fellow musicians' contributions are pleasing and appropriate, naturally woven into the fabric of the whole musical tapestry. Brian Henke (the CD's producer) on guitar, Steph Dlugon's sweetly melodic violin and Raven Dana's vocals (especially on "Green The Hills"------'as the ship heads into a new land, everything she knows fades into the distance....') all blend with the minor key, close harmony, penny whistle and undertone of autoharp, accentuating this mythical heroine's travels from the familiar to the unknown.

Three of the songs on Elf King's Horn are offered as brief videos on her website - and if you decide to go there, hearing the tunes and harmonies while seeing changing views of Maxfield Parrish skies and idealized human and mythical creatures, as well as craggy and rough mountains worthy of Frodo Baggins' trip to Mount Doom - will be a visual and auditory pleasure. "Green the Hills" and "Fairy Tale" work particularly well as video clips. These we so nicely done it made me wish that more selections from the album were available in this audio-visual format.

As for a truly beautiful melody, I could listen to the waltz, "Celtica" over and over. It is reminiscent of both Annie Laurie and Ashokan Fairwell, without being a copy of either. It's just a lovely instrumental waltz with clear penny whistle, sweet violin and our old true friend, the autoharp, chording below and tying things together...

First of all, I've uploaded a new Video for you. This time it is "Human Beans" from my Connections CD, as a kind of celebration of the Supreme Court decision of marriage! Love is Love!

Secondly, I am still acquiring mailers for all the CDs to send out. Being flooded out of PSG pretty well shot a hole in my wallet, but that should be better in just a few days - so I will get all the Indiegogo perks sent out very soon. Thanks for being patient.... HUGS

Third - and this is BIG to me - the Internet Radio site, Pandora, has accepted my new album, "Elf King's Horn," for air play! I am so jazzed!!!

Yes, I know.... streaming doesn't get you paid, right... but it DOES get you "out there" and noticed. Pandora is "curated" - which means that they are picky about what they make available. I am on iTunes and most of the other services through CD Baby, but Pandora is .... YAY!!! Let me know if you hear my music there and what station... Thanks!

Lastly, I leave in a few days for Starwood down in southern Ohio and then leave directly from there for Summerland Spirit Festival in Wisconsin. I won't be back on home soil till at least July 19 but there will be much Music and Merrymaking in between! I'll have my tablet so email will be working... but I'll likely be off singing a song most of the time! See you wherever and whenever!!! Slan!

The new album is finally here AND is live on CD Baby for purchase! I have it set up so you can get the CD or download either the entire album (highly recommended!) or individual MP3s. This has been such a journey to bring into reality! I have been so lucky and blessed to have Brian Henke as my producer and Jay Bentoff as my engineer! It is an album I am very proud of!

You can go to the Music and CDs link to purchase a copy for yourself. I've put all the lyrics on the "Elf King's Horn" page, too - so I expect you to be singing along at my next live show! Be sure to check out my schedule, too. I am adding shows and updating the calendar all the time!

Brian Henke and I are back home and drying out from the PSG festival in Illinois. We were supposed to be there till June 21 but the rains came and the rivers and creeks flooded and the whole festival was evacuated out!

Now, just before we left for Illinois, the shipment of new CDs arrived! Wow! they are beautiful and sound so good!!!

As soon as I get mailers, I will send them out to all you wonderful folks that supported the Indiegogo campaign. I am hoping by next weekend or so to get the album up on CD Baby for ordering, too. Until then, you can email me or message me to purchase your very own copy of "Elf King's Horn!!!